NewsNuggets Page 76

12 Apr

STINKS, TIGERS, AND PLAYING WITH FIRE AT IAA SPRING WEEK OF PRAYER

In

RMCNews with Jami Simpson – Grand Junction, Colorado … “My favorite part of the week was when John Henri lit his hand on fire,” remarked several students from Intermountain Adventist Academy (IAA) when asked about the spring week of prayer sessions held the first week of April.

The spiritual emphasis for the week at IAA and Little Lambs Daycare was “The God of Wonders,” featuring John Henri Rorabeck as a guest presenter. A naturalist and a science instructor who loves connecting people with the Creator God, he enjoys finding examples of God’s love in nature and believes that the way we treat creation shows what we think of our Creator. For the past 15 years, he has worked in camp and nature ministry in various states and parts of Canada and currently shares God’s character with elementary-aged students through after-school science programs in Maryland.

The special programs feature activities that the students connect with, including a nature hike field trip for each class. Second-grader Daniel enjoyed the museum and the hiking excursion. “I liked when John Henri hiked with us, showed us how dangerous fire is, went to the museum with us, told us about the love of God and how powerful it is. He told me on the way to the museum that there’s a lizard with three eyes.”

Haille, a sixth-grader, also enjoyed the field trips. “My favorite thing about the week of prayer was when we went on our field trip, and we found quartz and mica.”

Henri also connected the scientific method with how God never changes and introduced the school to various animals, including a skink.

“I learned about a skink, and it will stick by its partner no matter what,” said Jocelyn.

Elloise, a fourth-grader, wants a new pet. “I loved and learned about the animals. I am going to try to convince my mom to get a skink!”

Learning about larger animals was what other students will remember. “I learned about this animal that looks like it has two heads, but the tail looks like the head, and we learned about animals called tigers, and I like to do the quiz. Week of prayer was fun,” said Myia, a second-grader.

Henri held a program for kids and adults at the Grand Junction Adventist Church on Wednesday evening and a class on making slime Thursday evening. He also had the kids praising God through song. At the end of each presentation, he had a quiz time with prizes involved.

For Gavin, an eighth-grader, the praise songs were the best part. “I liked the guitar playing.”

Experiments and field trips were fun, but students also left the meetings having heard how much Jesus loves them and takes care of them and that they can share Jesus with people around them by how they act and what they say.

–RMCNews with Jami Simpson is the second through fourth grader teacher at Intermountain Adventist Academy; photos supplied

07 Apr

COMMUNITY SERVICE TURNS TO JOY AT MILE HIGH ACADEMY

In

By Jon Roberts – Denver, Colorado … Students at Mile High Academy middle school ditched the books and the classroom April 1 for a chance to give back to the community by committing to a day of service.

Three groups departed MHA campus that Friday morning, each with a mission project to complete. The projects included helping to organize offices and storage areas at Denver South Adventist Church, accomplishing much-needed painting of the baseboard at Denver South Hispanic Adventist Church, and helping pack dental kits for families in need at the Special Olympics headquarters.

Reflecting on the importance of serving the community, Andrew Carpenter, MHA principal said, “Service days are important at MHA because they are a time in which we can put our faith into practice. Service is part of our CHERISH core values and giving our students opportunities to serve is essential to helping our students develop holistically.”

Denver South was happy to have MHA students assisting them. “Mile High Academy came to Denver South with 14 of their middle schoolers. They were an amazing help organizing, stacking, throwing out, cleaning, and more. We almost ran out of things for them to do because they work so fast and so well. We are so happy to be part of a school that also helps the churches that support it. And we are always happy to have more young people in our churches,” said Mikey Archibeque, Denver South associate pastor.

Students enjoyed the opportunity to serve others.

Connor, a seventh-grader reflected on the event, “We went to Denver Hispanic Church and painted baseboards.  I enjoyed the day and enjoyed getting out of the classroom.”

Caleb, an eighth-grader said, “It was fun.  We went to the Special Olympics and we were packing dental kits for them.”

Carpenter added, “I hope students learned the joy of service.”

–Jon Roberts is RMC communication / media assistant; photos courtesy of Mile High Academy’s Facebook page

 

07 Apr

Campion student earns Master Guide

In

By Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado … Olivia is a senior at Campion Academy. She was honored on March 26 during the Campion Adventist Church worship service for having completed the requirements for Master Guide: the highest level of achievement in Pathfinder leadership.

Having already completed the Adventist Youth (AY) courses offered, Olivia decided to take on the challenge of the Master Guide coursework starting last summer. Reflecting on her motivation, Olivia said, “I have been in Pathfinders for over seven years, and I plan to be involved in Pathfinders for the rest of my life, so I wanted to get it now while I had a mentor and someone to do it with me.”

Campion church Pathfinder director, Alex Rodriguez, helped her through the process. The Master Guide curriculum typically takes years to complete, but Olivia managed to achieve her goal amidst her busy schedule. “The hardest part for me was finding the time to watch all the classes and read the books,” she explained; “I enjoyed the reading and listening parts, but it was hard to make time for them in between school and work.”

“Olivia has stood out as a model Pathfinder and young adult going above and beyond in both her cooperation with the club and her own personal development,” Rodriguez explained.

He also remarked on Olivia’s perseverance, saying, “First of all, continuing in the club during the high school years is a feat in and of itself. Olivia’s determination to continue in the club is inspirational. But what makes her accomplishments more incredible is her level of engagement.”

Rodriguez added, “A few years ago, she came on as full staff while still being a part of the teen leadership training program. Since then, she’s held dual roles (teen leader and staff member) and has gracefully occupied both roles. In her staff role, she has served as an AY instructor, drill and march instructor, and TLT instructor.”

Olivia shared that being involved in Pathfinders helped her learn hands-on life skills through the various honors, camp-outs, and drill and march. Being a Pathfinder has had a major impact on her faith: “Being around those who believe similarly to me and spending time getting to know them, has strengthened my relationship with God and has made me interested in learning more,” Olivia furthered. “Being in the Pathfinder Bible Experience helped grow my knowledge of the Bible, while at the same time, [it] allowed me to have fun with my friends.”

She plans to continue her involvement in Pathfinder leadership while she is studying at Andrews University next year. She encouraged other high school students to continue to be involved in their local clubs saying, “Pathfinders is a good way to take a break from the craziness of life and spend time with friends learning about God. It has drawn me closer to God and encouraged me to share my faith with others. As an older Pathfinder, I get to teach some of the classes for the younger ones. Teaching them impacts not only their lives, but mine also. Even though it can be hard to make time to be part of a club, it is worth the time put into it.”

Rodriguez emphasized her impact saying, “Olivia exemplifies the life of a dedicated young Christian and has become an integral part of our Pathfinder club and of the Campion church and community. Her efforts and tireless work and sacrifice have had a great impact on both young and old. I’m certain there will be folks in the kingdom of heaven because of the godly witness that she has been.”

–Jill Harlow is Campion Academy communication director; photo supplied

06 Apr

PLAY NICE IN YOUR SANDBOX AT CHEYENNE ADVENTIST CHURCH

In

By Paulette Yaple – Cheyenne, Wyoming … How to avoid conflict in work, home, and church relationships was the theme of the weekend seminar on March 19 at the Cheyenne Adventist Church.

The seminar featured Ron Price, author of the Play Nice In Your Sandbox books and RMC executive committee member. Price shared principles on preventing conflict in relationships, including how to speak and listen correctly and how to add more fun to your relationships. Attendees learned the catchphrase “Push the Pause Button,” which consists of taking time to choose your attitude in advance.

Price said, “I enjoy equipping people to manage conflict in a God-honoring manner. It really is not that difficult if you know a few basic tools, tips, and techniques.”

“Ron’s teaching on quickly and effectively dealing with conflict in relationships was invaluable! He has a way of presenting the most useful information in a very entertaining way. Our congregations were very blessed,” said Bill Nixon, pastor at Cheyenne Adventist Church.

Reflecting on the event, Meridee Mason, Cheyenne church clerk, said, “Both my husband and I received a real blessing [while] attending Ron Price’s weekend seminar. Ron has such a gentle, but great, way of dealing with the difficult people that are in our lives every day at work, shopping, or sometimes even at church. So good for all of us to remember to stop, take a step back and re-evaluate the situation instead of snapping back and then evaluating the situation,”

Nixon added that meetings had some attendees inquiring about the Cheyenne church. “After attending Ron’s series, one guest was so impressed with what he heard and how it was presented, he asked for information on joining our church and is now in Bible studies.”

–Paulette Yaple is communication secretary at Cheyenne Adventist Church; photo supplied

06 Apr

FRONT RANGE SCHOOLS UNITE FOR ECONOMICS LESSON

In

By Marsha Bartulec – Ameritowne, Colorado …Fifth and sixth graders from four Front Range schools–Brighton Adventist Academy, HMS Richards school, Mile High Academy, and Vista Ridge Academy– united on March 31 to run a town for a day.

The students participated in Young Ameritowne, a hands-on educational experience in free enterprise while learning about the basics of banking, economics, and citizenship. Ameritowne is a four-hour event where students physically apply concepts they have learned as they step into roles as town citizens.

The journey to Ameritowne began with teachers covering 25 lessons in basic economics, banking, government, money management, ethics, and philanthropy. All citizens (students) fill out applications and are interviewed for the jobs of their choice. Citizens running for mayor and/or judge must submit a written speech. The candidate with the most votes from other citizens wins.

A few days before the Ameritowne event, students met on the campus of Vista Ridge Academy for training. They were divided into training groups–quality control, management, sales, accounting, and media. Student citizens finished the training by meeting in their business groups, with managers leading team meetings. Reflecting on the training, HMS Richards student Conner said, “It really prepared me for Ameritowne on Thursday.”

Upon arrival at Ameritowne, the citizens were given an orientation about the day’s expectations. Then they went to their shops to prepare for the town to open. All citizens then met in the town square for opening ceremonies. The town hall workers, which included the mayor, judge, and police officers, were introduced by reporters and were sworn in. The mayor gave a speech and opened the town by cutting the ribbon. Once at work, citizens began working as producers, earned a paycheck, and spent their breaks as consumers purchasing goods and services from the businesses.

“One of the lessons students learned was the importance of teamwork,” said Natalie, an HMS Richards student. “When we work together, we can have success! I learned this by having an awesome team.”

Vista Ridge Academy student Luke, learned what it’s like to have a job, “I had fun, but you learn that you don’t always get along with your co-workers. There are ups and downs with a job.”

For others, staying out of trouble was the most important lesson. “My favorite part was not getting arrested,” a student from Brighton Adventist Academy shared.

After leaving Ameritowne, students evaluated the success of their day. Each business group received a bank balance statement to see if they made a profit. They also assessed their spending habits and the choices they made in Ameritowne. Reflecting on the experience, HMS Richards student Suelita has advice, “Learn now; don’t wait until later.”

Sandy Hodgson, Vista Ridge Academy principal, said, “The opportunity to collaborate with sister schools in this real-world learning is amazing. Our students were able to practice skills that will help them be better citizens now and in the future.”

Vista Ridge Academy plans to continue coordinating this event for local Adventist schools biannually.

–Marsha Bartulec is vice-principal for administration at Vista Ridge Academy; photos supplied

06 Apr

2024 CAMPOREE PLAN COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS IN GILLETTE WYOMING

In

By Paula Vogler – Gillette, Wyoming … With planning well underway for the International Pathfinder Camporee to be held for the first time in Gillette, WY, in 2024, thoughts are turning to how the group can get involved with the community while they are there.

Community service projects are a big part of the camporee and for residents of Gillette that could mean seeing more murals spread throughout the town. Gillette resident Laura Chapman and Jessica Seders, Campbell County Convention & Visitors Bureau director, came up with the mural idea after learning about the camporee and the desire for its participants to get involved with their host community.

Chapman said the concept is simple: have local artists prep a mural somewhere and then have groups of pathfinders come to paint them in something like a paint by numbers format. However, she said executing that idea is going to take a lot of planning.

From lining up local artists and identifying locations for the murals to securing funding and supplies, Chapman said the planning will also include figuring out exactly how to coordinate this with the groups of pathfinders that sign up for a two or three hour block of time.

“It’s quite ambitious,” Chapman said. “I’d love to have 20 sites for them.  There’s a lot of pre-planning that needs to be done ahead of time, like how can we accomplish it in a set amount of time? What’s realistic to expect? We have a very talented pool of local artists. I’m really excited to get us all on the road to make this happen.”

Seders said Gillette already has a few artists who do murals and because Gillette is a “pretty active art community,” she is not concerned about finding artists to help.

“We do have a few artists who do murals already in town and their style is very different from each other so I think we’re going to see very different styles in the projects,” Seders said. “We have to identify property owners who will let us paint directly on the building or put up a canvas next to or on a building.”

Heather Rodriguez, a Gillette artist who completed a mural inside the town’s Adventurarium, said she saw the paint by number mural concept in action at Disney World. She said there, someone sat at a booth and when visitors came by, they received a paint container with a number on it and a foam brush to help paint the mural.

Rodriguez said there are so many ways to create murals, even ways to do it where they could be set up and taken down before the harsh Wyoming winters affect them.  As another project, she also suggested pathfinders could paint a number of fiberglass animals native to Wyoming like a fox or antelope and spread those around town. “It’s another way for the kids to be involved and have permanent art on display,” Rodriguez said. “I think we’re all created to make things. With kids it’s just this sense of doing something great. Creating something that has a lasting impact and value is really important.”

Chapman echoed those sentiments.

“I’d love to do something in such a way that when the kids come back next time they can say, ‘oh I did that,’” Chapman said. “It would be something to celebrate their efforts.”

Anyone interested in getting involved with the mural project is encouraged to contact Laura Chapman at 480-205-9879.

The International Pathfinder Camporee will be held at the Cam-Plex grounds August 5-11, 2024 with 55,000 pathfinders from 105 countries expected to attend.

— Paula Vogler writes for 2024 International Pathfinder Camporee; photos supplied

This article was originally published on International Camporee’s Facebook page.

05 Apr

DENVER HOSTS ANNUAL NAD CHURCH FINANCE CONVENTION

In

RMCNews – Denver, Colorado … Treasury staff, stewardship directors, and planned giving and trust services personnel from various conferences within the North America Division recently met in Denver for the annual Beyond the Bottom Line convention and training.

With the event theme, Transformative Leadership: Thriving in a Changing World, the convention took place at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on March 27–29. The gathering allowed conference employees to fellowship, share ideas and techniques, and attend professional-growth classes.

Fellowshipping and sharing best practices were a highlight of the convention for Darin Gottfried, RMC vice president of finance. “I enjoy getting to see other treasury employees and hear about how they are doing things differently and how we might be able to use some of those ideas in RMC. It was a great time of getting to know new people and reconnecting with others that I have known for years.”

The convention was hosted by Southern Adventist University School of Business and the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists. According to the event’s website, the overall mission is “To offer the highest quality continuing professional education designed to encourage excellence in financial management to the treasury leadership and support staff of conferences, academies, Adventist Book Centers, and institutions within the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.”

A variety of seminars were offered, ranging from stewardship to investing for retirement.

Gottfried appreciated the seminars and feels better equipped to meet the challenges ahead for the church as an organization. “I learned about new challenges that are coming for the church as an organization and ways in which we can meet these challenges.”

–RMCNews; photo by Jon Roberts

31 Mar

2022 RMC CAMP MEETINGS

In

RMCNews – Denver, Colorado … The annual camp meetings held in the Rocky Mountain Conference have deep roots in Adventism and are a special time that many look forward to with anticipation. Camp meeting is a chance to come together to study God’s Word, rekindle friendships and make new ones, and get re-energized for the year ahead.

The Rocky Mountain Conference has five camp meetings to choose from:

Southeast Colorado camp meeting May 20 – 22

The Power of Love will be the theme for the Southeast Colorado camp meeting held at the Canon City Adventist Church. Speakers include Dwight Nelson, senior pastor at Pioneer Valley Adventist Church in Berrien Springs, Michigan, and Clifford Goldstein, editor of Sabbath School Bible Study Guides, and author.

Northeast Colorado camp meeting June 3 – 4

The Northeast Colorado camp meeting will be held on the campus of Campion Academy in Loveland, Colorado. The theme will be Our Greatest Need with presenter Hyveth Williams, Professor of Homiletics at Andrews University. For more information, email Michael Goetz, senior pastor Campion Adventist Church at [email protected].

Wyoming camp meeting July 12 – 16

 Wyoming camp meeting will be held at Mills Spring Ranch, located on Casper Mountain. The theme is Be Bold. Dr. Joseph Kidder, Professor of Theology and Discipleship at Andrews Theological Seminary, will be the featured speaker. To register or for more information, visit https://www.millsspringranch.com/wyomingcampmeeting.

Cowboy camp meeting July 13 – 16

If you are looking for a camp meeting off the grid, this is for you. This gathering is located outside of Montrose, Colorado on a gravel road an hour off the main road in the Uncompaghre National Forest. The camp meeting offers two gatherings per day to give you plenty of time to experience the wilderness. The theme and speakers are still being decided.  For more information, visit https://cowboycampmeeting.org/.

Western Slope camp meeting August 3 – 7

The Western Slope camp meeting will feature Dr. Dick Davidson, Professor of Old Testament Interpretation at Andrews Theological Seminary. He will be presenting messages on the Sabbath. The location of the camp meeting hasn’t yet been released. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/SDAWSCM/.

–RMCNews

31 Mar

Campion Students lead evangelism series in Costa Rica

In

By Jill Harlow – Loveland, Colorado … After ten days of holding evangelistic meetings at multiple churches in Costa Rica, the Campion students returned to campus both exhausted and blessed. The mission group included seven students, four Campion alumni, and Campion church pastors and members.

During the evangelistic outreach, each member was assigned to preach at a different church. The students would spend their mornings reviewing, practicing, and personalizing their sermons. They would spend time visiting homes in the afternoon and inviting them to attend the meetings. Each evening they would preach a sermon on a different topic and spend time interacting with the congregation. The meetings culminated with a total of 74 baptisms.

Reflecting on the experience Lily, sophomore, explained, “Costa Rica was exhausting, but rewarding. It was awesome seeing people getting baptized and knowing it was most certainly not because of any of our exceptional sermons and public speaking abilities but because of the Holy Spirit. We really got to see God in action down there.”

The students were especially challenged with the preaching aspect of the trip. Megan, sophomore, shared, “For me personally, public speaking is not an ability that comes naturally, which made it both terrifying and exhausting.”

Caleb, sophomore, shared her sentiments, saying, “Before this trip, I really disliked public speaking. However, after this trip, I do not mind public speaking anymore. The first meeting, for the first five minutes, I was very nervous, but then the Holy Spirit came over me and made me calm, and I was able to comfortably deliver all ten of my messages.”

The preaching aspect of the trip also grew their relationship with Jesus. “While I was preaching, I learned many things about how much I appreciate God. I grew spiritually because I had to learn to depend on God and trust Him that everything would be okay, and so it was,” Marcela, freshman, reflected.

Besides the meetings, the group took time to enjoy Costa Rica by visiting the beach, ziplining through the rainforest, and exploring a nature center.

The students were warmly welcomed at their various churches. “One of the many blessings I received was my church–everyone was extremely nice and accepting,” said Jared, senior.

Megan experienced the same acceptance at her church, explaining, “Being in Costa Rica taught me a lot about being friendly; the people there are all so open, and experiencing their culture showed me that in our culture, we are often cold. They showed me that sometimes it’s better to approach people and say “Hi” rather than just minding my own business.”

Caleb agreed with the other students that the culture and the faith of the people they met in Costa Rica made a significant impact on him. “What I learned from my time in Costa Rica is that we need to be more like the church members in Costa Rica,” he reflected. “They are on fire for Jesus, and they are so invested in every single worship service.”

–Jill Harlow is communication director for Campion Academy; photos supplied

31 Mar

A SIMPLE GIFT INSPIRES OTHERS TO GIVE

In

By Gabriela Vincent – Casper, Wyoming … Gabriela (Anca) Vincent, wife of pastor Shayne Vincent in the Casper District of Wyoming, has felt the pain of the war in Ukraine very personally.

She grew up under communist rule in Romania, and her hometown, Iasi, Moldova is just across the border from Ukraine. Her sister’s family still lives in Iasi. Her 12-year-old niece, Miriam, moved by the thousands of refugees flooding into their town, wanted to help. She decided to give the money she had been saving for a new smartphone, to purchase two mattresses for refugees who were staying in the local Adventist church.

When Gabriela shared this story with the Casper and Wheatland churches, they were inspired to give. They raised nearly $4,000 for the Ukrainian refugees through their generous donations and the funds were sent to Miriam, who was able to purchase ten more mattresses, as well as food, medication, and more essential items.

The needs of the refugees have inspired the Romanian Pathfinders to become directly involved. Dorin Cristea, children and youth ministries director of the Moldavia Conference, said, “The Pathfinder Law is for me to ‘Go on God’s errands,’ which means we will always be ready to go about doing good as Jesus did. But I never thought it would mean to ask you to get involved in helping those impacted by war.” The Pathfinders are involved in a weekly trip to Southern Ukraine, taking food, winter clothes, and medication to those in need.

Approximately ten million people have now fled their homes in Ukraine because of Russia’s unprovoked invasion. The UN High Commissioner for refugees says, “As many as 3.6 million Ukrainians have left for neighboring countries. Another estimated 6.5 million people are thought to be displaced inside the war-torn country itself.” According to AP reports, thousands have died since the Russian war began, including hundreds of children. It is a sobering picture and a call to action in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

“I am extremely proud of what my family and friends in Romania are doing to assist with the increasing number of refugees and emergency supplies needed to support the Ukrainian people. My home church in Iasi is now a place where Ukrainian women and children find a safe place to stay until they have in place for their final destination,” Vincent said.

She added, “The church’s Sabbath School classes have been converted into temporary shelters, and with funds raised by the local church, they were able to install a washer, dryer, and shower for the refugees. With the remaining funds from our giving, the church has purchased generators, food, and medication, and the weekly convoy has distributed the emergency supplies to a shelter in Ukraine.”

This war is far from being over, and the needs are many as the people of Ukraine bravely fight for their freedoms. Gabriela and the Adventist church in Iasi are deeply grateful for the generous hearts who have given.

If you would also like to support the work in Romania, you can donate to www.adra.ro. May God bless the people of Ukraine with courage and strength.

–Gabriela (Anca) Vincent writes from Casper, Wyoming; photos supplied

Miriam

 

1 … 74 75 76 77 78 … 103